Top executives from the aviation, maritime and logistics industries will return to Miami for the Air & Sea Cargo Americas conference held from 1 – 3 November 2017.
The Miami Airport & Convention Center will welcome top decision makers who will exchange views and experiences to enhance cargo growth across in the Western Hemisphere.
The conference and show is designed to increase two-way cargo growth and international business in the Americas, present updates on the latest security and safety regulations, provide updates on international aviation, maritime and logistics issues, and report on Miami International Airport’s (MIA) expanding role as one of the certified pharmaceutical ports.
The last show, which took place from 4 – 6 November 2015, welcomed over 4,000 international aviation and maritime executives from 51 countries, with 135 US and 16 international companies exhibiting.
The show will be hosted by MIA, which is operated by the Miami-Dade Aviation Department and is the property of Miami-Dade County government.
MIA is home to over 100 air carriers and is the top US airport for international freight. MIA and the General Aviation Airports’ annual economic impact is $33.7 billion.
MIA and related aviation industries contribute to over 280,000 direct and indirect jobs, about one out of four jobs.
The show organiser, World Trade Center Miami has been facilitating international commerce in Miami-Dade County for more than 25 years.
What does the future hold for the Americas?
The first conference session, ‘Trade Trends in the Americas’, will start at 09.00h in the East Hall, where panellists will present their views on current trends, especially the effects of e-commerce on the supply chain and transportation, and their predictions for the growth of air and sea cargo in the Western Hemisphere for the next two years. The session will be moderated by Cuba Trade Magazine publisher and host of the Nationally Syndicated Radio Talk Show ‘Made in America’, Richard Roffman.
He will be joined by SeaLand chief executive officer (CEO), Craig Mygatt; Estafeta international business manager, Diana Najera; UPS president for the Americas region, Romaine Seguin; and Atlas Air Worldwide executive vice president & chief commercial officer, Michael Steen, who is also president and CEO of Titan Aviation Holdings. The second conference session, ‘What will the Transportation and Logistics Industry Look Like in 3 – 5 years time?’ will get underway at 10.30h, where panellists will address the current impact of trade flows through air and sea ports, and try and predict what the future may hold.
ABS-Consulting principal, Albert Saphir will moderate the session, and Miami Dade Aviation Department aviation director, Emilio Gonzalez; Panalpina regional CEO for the Americas, Frank Hercksen; PortMiami deputy director, Kevin Lynskey; and Florida Ports Council president & CEO, Doug Wheeler will give there views on new technology and innovations including how drones and driverless trucks could affect ports, how customs are coping, what ports are doing to use new technology, the effect of e-commerce and how ports are dealing with cybersecurity issues.
At 15.00h The Boeing Company will issue the biennial World Air Cargo Forecast to provide an overview of the air cargo industry. Boeing Commercial Airplanes regional director for cargo market analysis, Gregg Gildemann will explain major trends and present future forecasts for the performance and development of markets as well as for the freighter aircraft fleet.
Pharmaceuticals and perishables are very important for Miami International Airport (MIA), and these will be major talking points at Air & Sea Cargo Americas. MIA was only the second IATA pharma hub in the world after Brussels Airport, undergoing International Air Transport Association (IATA) Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Pharmaceutical Logistics (CEIV) certification in 2015, ensuring pharma products are transported in accordance with global best practices.
Pharma, perishables and compliance on the agenda
The first session on Thursday 2 November will be the ‘Pharma Air Shippers Forum: Meeting the Pharma Shipper’s Expectations’ at 09.00h in the East Hall.
Miami Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) section chief aviation marketing, Jimmy Nares will moderate the session, while Novartis regional corporate affairs & communications head for Latin America and Canada, and Latin America Federation of Pharmaceutical Industry representative, Antonio Arce; Brussels Airlines vice president of global cargo, Alban Francois; American Airlines manager for cold chain strategy, Tom Grubb; Brinks Global Services director of life sciences, Leandro Moreira; MDAD chief of staff, Joe Napoli; Brussels Airport Company head of cargo, Steven Polmans; and Amerijet vice president of airport operations, Rasheme Richardson will share their views. Perishables are very important for the ports in Miami, acting as a transhipment hub between Latin America and the rest of the world.
The latest developments will be up for debate in the ‘Perishables Forum’ at 10.30h, where delegates will discuss new trends and distribution channels, and how the ocean-to-air transhipment program is affecting perishables.
MDAD manager for aviation trade & logistics marketing, Emir Pineda will moderate the session, and will be joined by Cabal Foods general manager, Edgar Baldizon; Association of Floral Importers of Florida executive vice president, Christine Boldt; Florida Freezer president, Robert Fay; 21-Air director of business development, Rodrigo de Narvaez; CEVA Logistics vice president of global product development, Juan Carlos Serna; and Stavis Seafoods director of imports, Emily Stavis, who will give their opinions on the panel. Regulatory agencies serve to safeguard America’s borders while enhancing its global economic competitiveness by enabling legitimate trade and travel.
The final session of 2 November, ‘Regulatory Compliance: Regulatory Trends and Compliance Issues’ will give delegates the chance to ask enforcement agencies how new regulations will affect business.
Advance Customs Brokers & Consulting president, Pat Compres will be moderating, and she will be joined by Agriculture and Prepared Products Center director, Dina Amato; US Department of Agriculture APHIS PPQ Field Operations national operations manager – exclusion and imports, Robert Balaam; Miami International Airport assistant port director for agriculture, Linda Cullen; Miami International Airport assistant port director for trade/cargo operations, Kemisha Sherrell; CBP acting director for Miami C-TPAT Field Office, Brandie Tardie; US Food & Drug Administration director of the division of import operations and office of enforcement and import operations, John Verbeten; and US Department of Agriculture APHIS PPQ South Florida area director for Team Bravo, Louis Volpe.
